Scattered Shots: Finding a unique pet

Scattered Shots is your weekly guide to improving your Hunter skills, brought to you by Jessica "Lassirra" Klein of The Hunter's Mark, covering a variety of Huntery topics. Today, we'll be browsing the bestiary of Azeroth, Outland and Northrend to identify some of the most unique pets to be found in the wilds ready for taming.

As a Hunter, your pet is an extension of yourself and a means of expression your (or your character's, for you RPers out there) personality, so finding the perfect pet can often be difficult. Today, I'd like to take a look at some of the more unique pets available in the game to help you pick out the perfect companion to set you apart from the crowd.

Ferocity

Because cats are arguably the most popular family of ferocity pets in the game, we'll start with them. All cats come with three abilities in addition to the standard Growl ability shared by all pets: Claw, Rake and Prowl. There are a number of unique cat skins available to help set your chosen feline apart.

If you prefer the look of a sleek lion, Araga, a level 35 rare found only in the Alterac Mountains is an excellent choice. She's the only cat in the game sporting this particular skin, so if you favor the sandy coloring sans mane, she's the cat you want. If you're looking for that coloring but with a more manly countenance, The Rake, a level 10 rare in Mulgore is a great alternative. If you're unable to find The Rake, there are three other mobs found in The Barrens that share the same skin: the Savannah Highmane, the Savannah Prowler and the Savannah Patriarch.

You like the mane, but not the color? Don't worry, there are other options available! Humar the Pridelord, a level 23 rare found in The Barrens and Pitch, a level 76 found in Sholazar Basin boast the same manly mane as The Rake, but with a much darker charcoal coloring. Not digging the black, either? Try Echeyakee, a level 16 quest spawn from The Barrens or Sian-Rotam, a level 60 quest spawn from Winterspring. Both feature a light white and gray coloring that's sure to set them apart.

If none of those special cats strike your fancy, you may be interested in the sleek while lines of the Frostsaber Huntress or her Cubs found in Winterspring. Or perhaps you favor spots? Shango and the Dreadsabers of Sholazar Basin may be more to your taste with their bright orange coloring and high-contrast black spots. If you're still not sold, perhaps the decidedly feral-looking Cursed Offspring of Har'koa found in Zul'Drak are right for you with their beautiful blue coats, white spots and glowing red eyes. Or perhaps you're looking for something a bit more... otherworldly? The Ghost Saber that haunts the far reaches of Darkshore might be just what you're looking for.

Next, let's take a look at another popular choice: raptors, for those of you who prefer a more Jurassic approach. Raptors come with two other abilities besides Growl: Claw and Savage Rend. There are only a handful of truly unique raptors available in the game, but hopefully one will strike your fancy.

For lower levels, the Mottled Scytheclaw of the Wetlands or the Young Jungle Stalker of Stranglethorn Vale, both sharing a bright green skin with orange accents and gleaming black talons, are available. Alternatively, Goreclaw the Ravenous in Dustwallow Marsh sports a dark brown skin with beautiful blue markings which you may find more appealing. If you're having trouble locating Goreclaw, you may wish to pursue the Venomhide Ravasaurs of Un'Goro Crater instead as they share the same skin.

Looking for something a bit more intimidating? There are two other unique species of raptors to be found, both of which boast a bolder silhouette of spikes. The Daggermaw Lashtails found in the Blade's Edge Mountains of Outland sport a bright orange coloring while the Drakuru Raptors found in Zul'Drak have something to offer fans of the coolor colors of the spectrum with their bright blue and purple coloring.

Tenacity

For our tanking needs, we'll start with a bit more traditional approach: boars. Boars come with two abilities in addition to the standard Growl: Bite and Gore. There are a handful of unique boar skins available in the game and I'm fairly certain these little piggies don't want to stay home!

Three of the most unique boar skins in the game feature prominent armor plating along the spine and sides of these beasts, giving them an appropriately tank-like appearance and providing you with your choice of color scheme. The first, Rotting Agam'ar, a level 26 elite found in Razorfen Kraul, features black fur and silver armor with bright blue accents. Next, Raging Agam'ar, a level 25 elite found in Razorfen Kraul, sports a light gray coat with brown armor and red accents. The last of our armored porcine friends is Agam'ar, a level 24-25 elite also found in Razorfen Kraul. Agam'ar has a brown coat and silver armor with black accents, a skin that is shared with Snorts, a level 79 mob found in The Storm Peaks of Northrend which can only be tamed by Hunters fighting on behalf of the Horde.

If boars aren't to your liking and you're looking for something truly unique, you may wish to consider taming a Warp Stalker. These pets were extremely popular following the release of the first expansion as they were a new and interesting species of pet, but Warp Stalkers have since all but disappeared from the Hunter landscape. Aside from the standard Growl ability, Warp Stalkers are able to utilize two other abilities, one of which is truly unique: Bite and Warp. While the majority of Warp Stalkers are white with purple stripes, you may be interested in the Warp Chaser, a level 67-68 mob found in Netherstorm that features an odd green coloring.

Cunning

Of course, we can't forget the Jacks of All Trades, can we? One of the most popular Cunning pets currently in use is a species of creature introduced to us in the first expansion, and the entire family is nothing if not unique! Love 'em or hate 'em, ravagers are here to stay and if you're looking for one that's particularly special then I've got a few recommendations for you.

Ravagers come with two abilities in addition to Growl: Bite and Ravage. There are many color variations available throughout Outland to suit your taste, so let's take a look at some of the offerings. If green is what you're after, the Quillfang Ravagers and Quillfang Skitterers of Hellfire Peninsula may be just the ticket. If you're looking for something a bit more bold, the bright oranges of the Razorfang Hatchlings and Razorfang Ravagers in Hellfire Peninsula or the Rip-Blade Ravagers of the Blade's Edge Mountains could be just what the pet trainer ordered.

For the arachnid fans out there, there are several interesting spiders available throughout Azeroth, Outland and Northrend to choose from. Spiders come with two additional abilities: Bite and Web. Zarakh, a level 19 spider found on Bloodmyst Isle, is decidedly intimidating with his spiked legs and black and red body. The Carrion Fleshstrippers of Icecrown feature spiked, light brown bodies with bits of web dripping from their many legs. If you're looking for an arachnid with a bit more visual bite, so to speak, you may be interested in the Dread Creepers found within the halls of Naxxramas with their bright purple coloring.

Exotic

Always a fan of saving the best for last, I've deliberately avoided discussing exotic pets until now. Exotic pets are precisely that: exotic! And because only a special few Hunters choose to spec 51-deep in Beast Mastery to be able to tame these beautiful creatures, any exotic pet you choose is sure to be special. There are, of course, some very special exotic pets that every Hunter should be aware of!

Loque'nahak the Spirit Beast is one of the most coveted pets currently available in the game, sought after for both his beauty and rarity. Like other cats, Loque'nahak comes with Claw and Prowl, but this unique feline has an added ability in his arsenal that only Spirit Beasts know: Spirit Strike. Loque'nahak is a rare, level 76 elite found only in Sholazar Basin and he's currently the only Spirit Beast to be found in the game. In patch 3.1, it's said that a second animal will be joining the ranks of the Spirit Beasts: Gondria, a level 77 rare elite found in Zul'Drak.

Wonderful and unique pets of all types can be found all over Azeroth, Outland and Northrend to suit your tastes and we could easily spend days pouring over the vast bestiary open to us. Which rare pets are your favorites?